1. Greece: Ancient – Golden Age

2. Persian Wars 490 B.C. Battle at Marathon
25,000 Persians v. 10,000 Athenians
Athenians disciplined, well-trained, heavily armored, and had the phalanx
Military formation
Persians no match for phalanx
Persians lost 6,000 men to Athenian 200 – Athens WINS!!
Left Athens defenseless

3. Persian Wars Battle of Marathon Cont…
Pheidippedes
Ran 26.2 miles from Marathon to Athens to bring the news of the Athenian victory so that the city would not be given up without a fight – “Rejoice, we conquer.”
Collapsed and died right after
Greek army was not far behind
Persians arrived in the Athenian harbor, saw how well it was defended, and immediately retreated

4. Persian Wars 480 B.C. Xerxes assembles invasion force
Wanted to crush Athens
Greek city-states divided, some fighting with the Persians
Xerxes faced no resistance and continued marching down the eastern coast of Greece

5. The Persian Wars 480 B.C. Battle at Thermopylae
7,000 Greeks, including 300 Spartans, blocked the narrow mountain pass
Continued to stop Persian attacks
A Greek traitor informed the Persians there was a secret path to move in behind the Greeks
Spartans held off the Persians while the remaining Greeks retreated
Valiant sacrifice, as all were killed
Left a good impression with other Greeks

6. The Persian Wars 480 B.C. Greeks Fight On The Sea
Athenians evacuated Athens
Wanted to fight at sea in a narrow channel SW of Athens
Xerxes burns Athens
He sent warships to block both sides of the channel
Persia’s ships were not as mobile as Athens’ ships were
Small & nimble Greek ships with battering rams attacked
1/3 of Persia’s fleet was sunk

7. The Persian Wars - 479 B.C. Battle of Plataea
Persians lost again
Persians were always on the defensive after this
Purpose:
Form alliance among Greek city-states in order to ward off future Persian attacks
Continued to press war against Persians
The Persian Wars B.C. Delian League formed

8. The Persian Wars Consequences: Confidence, freedom (especially Athens)
Athens took lead over Delian League
Emergence of Golden Age of Athens

9. Democracy & Golden Age of Athens The Age of Pericles
Three Goals:
Strengthen Athenian democracy
Hold & strengthen the empire
Glorify Athens

10. Democracy & Golden Age of Athens Strengthen Athenian Democracy
Increased # of paid public officials
Result:
More citizens involved in self-gov’t than any other city-state in Greece, which made Athens one of the most democratic governments in history
*Direct Democracy is one in which citizens rule directly, not through representatives

11. Democracy & Golden Age of Athens Hold & Strengthen Athenian Empire
Took over leadership of Delian League
Pericles used money from the League’s treasury to strengthen Athenian navy
Needed to strengthen navy to secure safety of empire

12. Democracy & Golden Age of Athens Glorify Athens
Used money from League’s treasury to buy expensive building materials
Hired artisans to create works of classical art

13. Democracy & Golden Age of Athens Architecture & Sculpture
Parthenon
23,000 sq. ft. built in style of Greek temples
Many pieces of Greek art went inside
Statue of Athena stood over 30 ft. tall

14. Democracy & Golden Age of Athens Drama
Built the first theaters in the West
Two Kinds of Drama:
Tragedy
Serious drama about common themes such as love, hate, war, or betrayal
Exs: Oedipus the King, Antigonei
Comedy
Contained scenes with slapstick situations & crude humor
Exs: The Birds, Lysistrata

15. Democracy & Golden Age of Athens History
Athenian Thucydides wrote the first history book

16. Democracy & Golden Age of Athens Greek Philosophers: Socrates
Socratic Method of Questioning
Question-and-answer approach to teaching
Asking a series of leading questions to show that people hold many contradictory opinions
Encouraged people to examine their beliefs
Was tried & found guilty for corrupting the youth of Athens – he was sentenced to death by drinking Hemlock poison
“There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance.”
Surrounded by supporters, Socrates prepares to drink poison.

17. Democracy & Golden Age of Athens Greek Philosophers: Plato
Pupil of Socrates
Founded his school, The Academy, in 387 B.C.
Wrote The Republic, his vision of a perfectly governed society
Society divided into 3 groups (farmers & artisans, warriors, & the ruling class)
Person in the ruling class with the greatest insight & intellect would be a philosopher-king
“Philosophy begins in wonder.”

18. Democracy & Golden Age of Athens Greek Philosophers: Aristotle
Studied at Plato’s Academy
Opened the Lyceum (school) in 335 B.C.
Developed rules of logic
Developed scientific method
Mentor to Alexander the Great
“He who studies how things originated…will achieve the clearest view of them.”

19. The Peloponnesian War - Athens vs. Sparta
Causes:
Athens grew wealthier & stronger
Other city-states viewed Athens with hostility, especially Sparta
Sparta declared war on Athens in 431 B.C.
Advantages:
Athens = Stronger Navy
Sparta = Stronger Army (plus was inland away from the sea)
Pericles of Athens decided to wait for an opportunity to strike at sea to avoid land fights with Sparta
Sparta swept across Athenian territory, burning food supplies
Didn’t really matter b/c Athens could be resupplied with food from their port

20. 421 B.C. - Athens and Sparta sign a truce 415 B.C.
2nd year of war – plague struck Athens – killed 1/3 of the population, including Pericles
Continued fighting for several years
421 B.C. - Athens and Sparta sign a truce
415 B.C.
Athens attacked Syracuse on the island of Sicily (one of Sparta’s wealthiest Allies)
Athenian army & navy was crushed
404 B.C.
Athenians & allies surrendered
Sparta Wins!
Consequences:
Athenians lost empire, power, & wealth
Decline of democratic gov’t